Granular Application Data Lifecycle Sourcing from a Single Backup

1. A method comprising: periodically creating a primary backup copy of data stored on a storage system in order to create a plurality of concurrently existing, primary backup copies; and periodically creating a first backup copy of data stored on the storage system in order to create a plurality of first backup copies, wherein each of the first backup copies is created in part by selectively copying some, but not all of the data from a respective one of the primary backup copies, wherein the selectively copying the some, but not all of the data is based, at least in part, on a predetermined retention period associated with the some, but not all of the data, wherein the predetermined retention period of the some, but not all of the data is distinct from a different retention period associated with other data in the primary backup copy; wherein a first periodicity of creating the primary backup copies is once and only once each day; and wherein a second periodicity of creating the first backup copies is once and only once each week.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: periodically creating a second backup copy in order to create a plurality of second backup copies, wherein each of the second backup copies is created in part by selectively copying second data from a respective one of the primary backup copies; wherein the first periodicity of creating the primary backup copies is distinct from the second periodicity of creating the second backup copies.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising: retaining each of the primary backup copies for a period of time from creation thereof; retaining each of the first backup copies for a first period of time from creation thereof; retaining each of the second backup copies for a second period of time from creation thereof; wherein the period of time, the first period of time, and the second period of time are distinct from each other.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein each of the second backup copies comprises a copy of some, but not all of the data contained in its respective one of the primary backup copies.

5. The method of claim 4 : wherein the data copied to the first backup copies is identified by a first identifier; wherein the data copied to the second backup copies is identified by a second identifier; wherein the first and second identifiers are distinct from each other.

6. The method of claim 5 : wherein each of the primary backup copies is stored on a primary backup storage device; wherein each of the first backup copies is stored on a secondary backup storage device; wherein each second backup copy is stored on an other secondary backup storage device; wherein the primary backup storage device, the secondary backup storage device, and the other secondary backup storage device are distinct from each other.

7. The method of claim 5 : wherein the first identifier identifies first application data accessible by a first application; wherein the second identifier identifies second application data accessible by a second application; wherein the first and second applications are distinct from each other.

8. The method of claim 5 : wherein the first identifier identifies first application data accessible by a first application; wherein the second identifier comprises a file system path name that identifies a file in a file system.

9. The method of claim 5 : wherein the first identifier comprises a first file system path name that identifies a first folder; wherein the second identifier comprises a second file system path name that identifies a second folder; wherein the first and second file system path names are distinct from each other.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the selectively copying the second data is based on a second identifier, and the second identifier identifies a second type of data from the data of the respective one of the primary backup copies.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the selectively copying some, but not all of the data is based on a first identifier, the first identifier identifies a first type of data out of the data from the respective one of the primary backup copies, and the first type of data is distinct from the second type of data.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising: retaining each of the primary backup copies for a period of time from creation thereof; retaining each of the first backup copies for a first period of time from creation thereof; wherein the period of time, and the first period of time are distinct from each other.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the each of the primary backup copies are retained for respective primary periods of time, the each of the first backup copies are retained for respective first periods of time, and at least some of the respective primary periods of time are different from the respective first periods of time.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively copying some, but not all of the data is based on a first identifier, and the first identifier identifies a first type of data out of the data from the respective one of the primary backup copies.

15. A computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by a computer system, wherein the computer system implements a method in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising: periodically creating a primary backup copy of data stored on a storage system in order to create a plurality of concurrently existing, primary backup copies; and periodically creating a first backup copy of data stored on the storage system in order to create a plurality of first backup copies, wherein each of the first backup copies is created in part by selectively copying some, but not all of the data from a respective one of the primary backup copies, wherein the selectively copying the some, but not all of the data is based, at least in part, on a predetermined retention period associated with the some, but not all of the data, wherein the predetermined retention period of the some, but not all of the data is distinct from a different retention period associated with other data in the primary backup copy; wherein a first periodicity of creating the primary backup copies is once and only once each day; and wherein a second periodicity of creating the first backup copies is once and only once each week.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises: periodically creating a second backup copy of data stored on the storage system in order to create a plurality of second backup copies, wherein each of the second backup copies is created in part by selectively copying data from a respective one of the primary backup copies; wherein the first periodicity of creating the primary backup copies is distinct from the second periodicity of creating the second backup copies.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein each of the second backup copies comprises a copy of some, but not all of the data contained in its respective one of the primary backup copies.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16 : wherein the data copied to the first backup copies is identified by a first identifier; wherein the data copied to the second backup copies is identified by a second identifier; wherein the first and second identifiers are distinct from each other.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 : wherein the first identifier identifies first application data accessible by a first application; wherein the second identifier identifies second application data accessible by a second application; wherein the first and second applications are distinct from each other.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18 : wherein the first identifier identifies first application data accessible by a first application; wherein the second identifier comprises a file system path name that identifies a file in a file system.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18 : wherein the first identifier comprises a first file system path name that identifies a first folder; wherein the second identifier comprises a second file system path name that identifies a second folder; wherein the first and second file system path names are distinct from each other.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises: releasing each of the primary backup copies after a period of time from creation thereof; releasing each of the first backup copies after a first period of time from creation thereof; releasing each of the second backup copies after a second period of time from creation thereof; wherein the period of time, the first period of time, and the second period of time are distinct from each other.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises: accessing first and second entries of a data object in a memory each time a primary backup copy is created; wherein the first entry comprises the first periodicity of creating the first backup copies; wherein the second entry comprises the second periodicity of creating the second backup copies.

24. An apparatus comprising: a storage system for storing data; a primary backup storage system for storing a plurality of primary backup copies of data stored on the storage system; a secondary backup storage system for storing a plurality of secondary backup copies of data stored on the primary backup storage system; a computer system configured to periodically create a primary backup copy of data stored on the storage system in order to create the plurality of concurrently existing, primary backup copies, and to periodically create a secondary backup copy of data stored on the primary backup storage system in order to create the plurality of secondary backup copies, wherein each secondary backup copy is created by the computer system by selectively copying some, but not all of the data from a respective one of the primary backup copies, wherein the selectively copying the some, but not all of the data is based, at least in part, on a predetermined retention period associated with the some, but not all of the data, wherein the predetermined retention period of the some, but not all of the data, is distinct from a different retention period associated with other data in the primary backup copy; wherein a first periodicity of creating the primary backup copies is once and only once each day; and wherein a second periodicity of creating the first backup copies is once and only once each week.